Morning Glory
by Sunset Moth
Summary: Harry has lived in an old orphanage all his eight years of life. What happens when a certain Potions Master gives him a visit? AU
1. Prologue

Morning Glory  
Gidius Grey Thomas

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: I will only post the disclaimer once so don't go looking for it in the next chapters. Also, most of my characters will be OOC. If it bothers you, I'm afraid that I cannot do anything about it. Now on with the story...

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Prologue 

Dumbledore looked outside the large window that oversaw most of Hogwarts. His mind was wandering. And it was somewhere thousands—well, maybe hundreds—of miles away, near a small orphanage run by nuns.

"Headmaster," Severus, the Potions Master, said as he dropped himself on one of the chairs near the Headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore absentmindedly glanced at Severus before returning his gaze to the window. "What brings you here, Severus?"

"What brings me here, you ask?" Severus growled. He crossed his arms. "You and I are both well aware of the fact that Mr. Potter has been left—once again—by his aunt and uncle in an orphanage. Do you still believe that giving Harry to them will be for his own good when it is quite clear that they do not wish to take care of the boy?"

"That's why I have decided to leave Harry at the orphanage instead of returning him once more to the Dursleys."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Dumbledore sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Severus, I assure you that—"

"That what? That Mr. Potter is in perfectly good hands? That he is safe there? That this was all part of your stupid plan?"

"Severus, please calm down." Dumbledore said and turned to the enraged Potions Master. "This may not be part of my stupid plan, or so you call it, but I assure you that I have given a lot of thought on this subject and have decided that it would be best for Harry to ensure that he gets a good childhood."

"A good childhood?" Severus asked and stood up. "Do you really think he can get that there? And what if someone adopts him? How will we keep track of him?"

"Severus, listen to me. Harry will have a good childhood because he will be with kids his own age. He will be far away from the wizarding world; far away from the fame that I fear might make him conceited. If he remains modest and obedient then it will be easier for me to teach him when the time comes."

"You mean to manipulate him? Is that your plan? So that by the time you teach him he will not protest or complain against you because of gratitude? And what if he becomes another Voldemort?"

"Severus, I only wish to see him grow up to be a nice boy with a good childhood."

"And what if the kids corrupt him there? What if he became rebellious after spending some company with them?"

"I know I am taking a big risk here but I believe that Harry will be different. Please, Severus, have faith."

Severus sighed in defeat and sat once more on the chair. "And the possibility of adoption?"

"It is already taken care of."

Severus slowly nodded as he thought about what the Headmaster had said. He had always cared for Lily and even if James had been a nuisance in his life he couldn't just abandon the child of his two friends. He hated to think that Harry would not have a normal family. He wanted to adopt Harry himself but he knew that it would be against Dumbledore's wishes. He decided to keep an eye on the child instead. Dumbledore wouldn't say no of course, because Severus wouldn't tell him.

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	2. Of Wolf Pups and Ashwinders

Morning Glory

Chapter One – Of Wolf Pups and Ashwinders

Harry opened his eyes and welcomed the warm rays of sunlight that escaped the small windows of the orphanage. He hated the cold that often came at night.

He smiled as he remembered the book that he was reading yesterday. He grabbed a pair of shorts and a worn-out T-shirt and began dressing up. He looked at his sleeping friend, Faris, and grinned. He decided not to wake Faris because he knew that the other boy was not a morning person.

He grabbed a pair of dirty socks and put them on. The last thing he wore was a pair of battered sneakers before running towards the kitchen. Holly, one of the cooks, gave him some warm porridge. He ate it quickly and ran towards the small library.

He began looking at the familiar titles, searching for the book that he was reading yesterday. His face lit up with a smile as he saw the one he was looking for. He pulled the book out carefully—making sure not to destroy the fragile binding—and opened it to the table of contents. His smile widened as he found the chapter that he was currently reading.

_Powerful Words: the Art of Commanding_ by Galahad Greystone was a treatise on manipulating magic and using the right word or command to move an object and the like. At first glance, one would think it is about a book on leadership but after consulting the chapters, Harry knew better. He also knew that there was magic on the book—to make it look like a book about leadership—so that the non-magical people would not find out that there was actually magic or at least they didn't have to discard it and think that it was one of those books about the occult. Harry knew this because it was explained in the introduction. He understood it but still had to consult the dictionary for the long and extremely hard words. As it is, he had a very developed vocabulary for an eight-year old.

Harry grinned as he looked up from the book he was reading. He slowly lifted his left arm. He looked at the small vase filled with flowers from the small garden where Harry would sometimes play. His brows knitted in concentration.

"Come," He said in a smooth, clear voice; his fingers pointing at one of the flowers.

The flower shuddered and slowly rose. It moved unsteadily towards Harry and dropped limply on Harry's palm. His grin turned into a smile filled with delight. He knew there was no one in the library that's why he would often practice magic there.

He remembered a few months ago when he discovered that he can use a bit of fire and wind magic. He was angry at Eddie who had taunted his parents. For some reason he got angry even though he could usually control himself and burned some of the flowers near the garden. No one suspected that it was him or that it was caused by magic but after that incident Harry made sure to control his anger better.

He then began to look for books concerning elemental magic and was a bit disappointed to know that his power was below the normal power of an elementalist although he was still happy to note that he also had a bit of power over the element wind.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the door open. Faris peeked from the door; his mud brown eyes were dancing.

"Hey, Harry, let's go for a walk on the woods," he said and grinned. "I already asked Elinor for permission and she accepted. She said that we can go as long as we go back here in time for lunch."

"Sure," Harry said and placed the book back to where it belonged.

Severus watched Harry as he chatted with his young friend. He was glad that Harry was making friends. He looked at his pocket watch and was relieved to note that he still had an hour and a half before his meeting with Dumbledore and the rest of the staff. Even though it was summer they had constant meetings to discuss different teaching styles, the students they should keep an eye on and of course, who will be their new teacher of Defense against the Dark Arts.

Severus edged closer and listened to their conversation. His face lit up with a small rare smile as he listened to Harry berate his friend. His friend, on the other hand, made a face and pulled Harry towards the direction of the woods. Harry sighed and allowed himself to be pulled.

Severus found himself chuckling and shook his head with dismay. He was getting too soft. Severus sighed and followed the two boys silently. He wanted to make sure that Harry was alright; he didn't trust Dumbledore's words.

Harry stiffened as he heard the crack of several twigs behind them. He continued forward while listening for more sounds. He heard another crack and knew that someone was indeed there. He didn't say anything to Faris because he feared that Faris might panic so instead he continued to walk forward and, at the same time, kept a cautious look at his surroundings.

When Faris noticed that Harry had grown quiet he knew something was wrong. He opened his mouth to ask Harry if there was anything wrong but stopped when he heard noises. He looked inquiringly at Harry who merely shrugged. They slowly moved towards the source of the noises and saw a thin, pale-grey snake with glowing red eyes cornering a small grey wolf pup. The small wolf pup was injured badly and was whining.

They stepped backwards and turned to run when the snake saw them. It hissed and crawled towards them; ignoring the small wolf pup. It was about to strike when a tall, pale man suddenly appeared and threw himself in front of them. They heard him shout something. After a few seconds, Harry took a peek from behind the man and gasped softly. The snake was no longer there; in its place was dust. Harry also noticed that there was smoke coming up from the pile of dust.

Harry looked up at the man and asked, "How did you do that?"

The man looked down and sighed. He knelt down and looked straight at Harry's eyes. He didn't know what to say.

Harry was annoyed. Why didn't the man answer his question? Harry saw the hesitation in his eyes and began to understand. "Are you an elementalist?"

The man looked surprised. Did this boy know? Or was he simply joking? He was about to ask a question of his own when he heard a whine.

"Harry, I think it's still alive," Faris said and beckoned Harry to take a closer look.

Harry walked towards the wolf pup and knelt down. The man who killed the snake saw them and stood. He walked to them and also took a look.

"Let's bring him to Elinor. Maybe she could help," Harry suggested.

"Maybe I can," the man offered.

"But we don't know you," Faris said and narrowed his eyes.

"Faris." Harry glared at his friend to shut him up. "We'd like that," he said to the mysterious man.

The man knelt besides them and began working. He gave Faris a bowl and asked him to fill it with some water from a nearby stream. How he got the bowl in the first place, Harry didn't know. When Faris returned, grumbling about strange people, the pale man set to clean the pup's wounds.

Harry watched the man closely and couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

The man looked up, holding a vial of some sort in his hand. "I'm Severus, Severus Snape."

"Thank you, Severus, for helping us," Harry said and caressed the wolf pup's head.

Severus nodded. "Will you be keeping him?"

"Him?" Harry asked.

"The wolf."

"Oh, I guess," Harry said and looked at Faris. Faris nodded and grinned, giving Harry two thumbs up. "Sure."

Severus nodded and sighed. "Well, I'd better go. The snake might have a nest of eggs somewhere and I want to get there before the eggs hatch."

Harry nodded and frowned as Severus turned to go. "Wait."

"Yes?"

"Come back someday and answer my question."

Severus lifted his eyebrow and nodded. "Good bye."

"Bye."

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	3. Knockturn Alley Adventure Pt I

Chapter Two – Knockturn Alley Adventure Part I

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any KoL.

A/N: This chapter's on Neville coz he's going to be friends with Harry soon. I had to write about him because not only will he play a major part in my story (as Harry's friend of course) but also because of the big changes in his personality that I had to explain somehow.

I also decided to post this chapter early coz I got a review so fast! Thanks to They Will Not Be Forgotten AD-CD-SB-LP-JP, my first reviewer.

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Chapter 2 – Knockturn Alley Adventure Part I

Neville hated waking up. He knew there was no chance of avoiding it so he slowly began to crawl out of bed. He heard the familiar sound of a swinging blade and jumped out of the bed. He hit the floor hard. He gasped for air as he saw the pendulum-like sharp blade swing back and forth just above his bed.

He winced. Why couldn't his uncle use a normal, absolutely innocent, and perfectly safe alarm charm?

Neville walked out of his bedroom, careful not to walk into some traps and trip into a couple of carefully placed tripwires. Stretching casually, he jumped down and grabbed the bricks on the wall, digging his nails to the rough granite stones. He began climbing down the wall, ignoring the beautiful oak stairs on his right. He knew that if he climbed down the stairs he would only fall on a cage filled with hundreds of snakes. He'd done it once and it sure wasn't a happy memory.

When he reached the last couple of feet he jumped down and walked towards the kitchen.

"Neville, my boy, can you set up the table for me?" His uncle said.

"Yes, Uncle," Neville replied and sighed. He skipped a step containing one of Uncle Algie's many traps and began setting the table, constantly avoiding the knives thrown at him.

"Neville, after breakfast I want you to clean up because there's a couple of things I want you to buy for me," Uncle Algie said as he threw another knife at Neville.

"What kind of things?" Neville asked and caught the knife with his right hand while placing the last of the utensils on the table.

"You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

"Now here's the list of things that you will buy," Uncle Algie said and handed the list to Neville.

"Uncle Algie, how am I supposed to buy these things?" Neville asked after looking at the list.

"Ask around," Algie replied and handed a bagful of coins to Neville. "This should be enough."

Neville watched his uncle walk away wondering how the hell he would find those things. He looked at the list again.

_1) Vapid Aphid _

_2) Continuum Transfunctioner_

_3) goblin bread _

_4) Mick's IcyVapoHotness Rub_

_5) Spasmi Dolorosi Del Rene _ _Champagne_

_6) Hell Broth Cookbook_

Neville blinked and frowned. _Where will I get these things?_ He looked around and saw a small man with sallow skin and sunken eyes.

"Excuse me, sir, but can you tell me where I can find some Vapid Aphid?" Neville asked hopefully, his right hand near one of his knives, just in case.

"What's a kid like you doing here?" The old man snapped.

"I'd give you some Sickles if you answered me," Neville offered and stepped back. He hoped that the man was the harmless kind.

The man grunted and scratched his bald head. "I don't take bribes, kid."

"Three Galleons," Neville said and waved three Galleons around.

"Frobozz's House of Mystic Imports," The old man mumbled, grabbed the money, and fled.

"Wait!" Neville said and sighed. At least he got something from the man.

He walked through twisting streets and looked around. The whole place was a dump. He turned right and smiled as he saw Frobozz's House of Mystic Imports. It looked new, compared to the other shops he'd seen. He walked inside and lifted an eyebrow questioningly. The shop was decorated in pastel colors. He went to the counter and waited.

"Ahh! A costumer," A voice said from a pile of boxes in a corner. "Wanna jelly bean? Wanna jelly bean?"

The voice came from a small chubby man. He looked cheerful and offered Neville a jarful of jelly beans in assorted colors. Hubert was written in tiny print on a cardboard pinned on his shirt. The nametag had flowers in it.

"No thanks," Neville said and shook his head. "By the way, Hubert, do you have some Vapid Aphid?"

"Yes," Said the slightly disappointed man. "Would you like to buy some?"

Neville nodded and waited patiently while Hubert went to another room. His eyes traveled around the merchandise. Most of the items were gaudy and looked harmless. Neville shook his head. Did the man even know that his shop resides at the deadliest alley in London? Probably not.

"Is this what you are looking for?" Hubert asked and placed what looked like a can on top of the counter. Neville examined it carefully. He nodded and looked at Hubert.

"How much?" Neville asked and reached for his pouch.

"Five Sickles," Hubert answered cheerfully and accepted the money from Neville.

Neville was about to thank Hubert and leave but thought better.

"Do you know where I can find a continuum transfunctioner?" Neville asked after looking carefully at the list his uncle gave him.

Hubert frowned and rubbed his chin. "I think there are some in The Loatharios' House of ill Repute. What type of model are you looking for?"

Neville looked at his list. His eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What type do you recommend?"

"Well there's the silver C142 which is the most popular model nowadays, but I always did like the older more reliable version, the bronze C019." Hubert explained.

Neville nodded and said, "Can you show me where The Loatharios' House of ill Repute is?"

"Sure," Hubert said jovially. He walked towards the front of the shop and beckoned for Neville to follow. Hubert then started to cast spells to make sure that no one would break in and steal anything. Not that there was really anything valuable there.

Together they walked through the dirty, misshapen streets. Hubert would cheerfully point out shops in random and would wave at some people who had a certain air of dangerousness on them. They glared back and continued with their possibly illegal businesses.

They stopped at a shop which looked like a hurricane went through it. Neville examined the shop's window carefully and noticed red splatters on the windowpane which were possibly blood. Hubert pulled Neville inside. He looked around and grimaced. Even his room wasn't this messy.

The place was a wreck. Crumpled papers, plastics, and empty bottles of beers in foreign languages littered the floor. There were Muggle guns everywhere and a couple of contraptions that have a mixture of both magical and non-magical parts in them. Neville knew that if the authorities would find these items the shop owner would probably be arrested. Technomagic was considered illegal because it was too dangerous to be meddled with.

"I don't remember putting a welcome sign at the front that says, 'Welcome, Hubert,' in large letters," A man from the shadows said gruffly.

"Aah! Bruce, it's nice to see you again!" Hubert said cheerfully.

Bruce grunted and crossed his arms. "What do you want?"

"This young man here is looking for a continuum transfunctioner." Hubert said and clapped Neville on the back.

"What do you need it for, kid?" Bruce grumbled.

"My uncle wants me to buy one," Neville answered.

"And where is your uncle?"

"I don't know," Neville replied and smacked himself mentally. This man might take advantage of the fact that his uncle was not here and kill him. Hubert was harmless. But this man was not.

"Is your uncle trying to get rid of you?"

"Well, he's tried to do it before but not because he hates me or anything. He just wants to teach me self-preservation. This is probably one of his tests," Neville explained and shrugged. He placed his hand near one of his knives hidden on his thigh. Just in case.

The uncertainty in Bruce's eyes was gone. In its place was curiosity. "How many knives do you carry, kid?"

Neville looked shocked and berated himself mentally for letting his feelings slip and for not being cautious enough.

"You didn't answer me, kid," Bruce said after a few seconds of silence.

Neville looked up and winced. "Six, not counting the smoke bombs, the throwing knives and my dagger."

Hubert looked confused. He glanced at Bruce and shifted his gaze to Neville. Knives? Uncles? Tests? How did Bruce know these things? Have they met before? Was this all a plan to humiliate him? Hubert began to sweat. _Oh poor sweet Delilah! If I were to be trapped by these fiendish villains then no one will take care of my Delilah!_

Bruce nodded and pulled a chair from the mess he called his shop. "How much are you willing to pay?"

"Excuse me but—" Hubert said and was cut off by Neville.

"How much do you want?"

Hubert looked at them, this time with irritation. Why wouldn't they let him speak! Such fiendish villains these men are! They won't even let him take care of the negotiations! He wasn't that bad in math. _Oh poor Delilah, all on her lonesome. I wonder what she's doing right now..._

Bruce grinned. "Ten galleons."

"Five," Neville countered and pulled up a chair as well.

Hubert looked at them with frustration and sat on the floor with a huff. _Since these men don't seem to want me to be part of their conversation, I shall think about my lovely Delilah instead._

"Nine galleons and five sickles."

"Six galleons and three knuts."

"Eight galleons and five knuts."

"Eight galleons and nine knuts _if _you thrown in that old muggle gun over there," Neville said and pointed at one of the guns that weren't lying on the floor.

Bruce looked at the gun that Neville was pointing and laughed. "That, kid, is worth more than you think."

"But I want the gun," Neville pouted.

Bruce laughed and said, "Nice to know that there's still a kid there."

Neville huffed and crossed his arms. "Eight galleons and five Sickles."

"If you can do something for me, kid, then maybe I'll sell you that continuum transfunctioner model bronze C019 over there and that Firegun that you've got your eyes on." Bruce said and grinned at the nine-year old sitting before him.

Neville rubbed his chin. What could he do for Bruce? Well what _can_ he do?

"Do you have a grudge on someone?" Neville asked pensively and twirled his throwing knife.

"A few," Bruce said and shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"I can help you make them pay," Neville said and leaned closer.

"And how are you supposed to do that?" Bruce asked. "You're just a kid."

A small smile made its way up Neville's face. "That is my secret."

Bruce lifted an eyebrow and smiled. "Can you guarantee that?"

"Of course I can. You're talking to a master of the art here," Neville said and smirked. "Now, do you have a wand?"

* * *

I hate cliffies too but I'm lazy... :P

Liked anything? Hated everything? Please review and tell me what you think.


	4. Knockturn Alley Adventure Pt II

Chapter Three – Knockturn Alley Adventure Part II

Neville smirked and folded his arms as he watched Bruce impatiently walk back and forth.

"Calm down, will you?" Neville said.

"You said that I would get my payback," Bruce said and turned to Neville. "Where is it then?"

"Right about—" Neville stopped for dramatics and looked up at the sky.

"Gaaah!"

"—now." Neville finished and grinned.

Mr. Burglow, a man in his late forties came out of a small but fine house with a garden filled with wild roses. He stumbled down the steps and saw Bruce.

"Bruce," Mr. Burglow murmured and tripped. "Please, help me, Bruce," he stammered and grabbed Bruce's robes to steady himself. "There's a monster inside!"

"And why should I?" Bruce asked gruffly.

"I'll-I'll pay you," Mr. Burglow said and was kicked violently by Bruce. He hit the wall hard and stood up only to kneel before Bruce. "Please, Bruce, please. We're partners, aren't we?"

"We used to be," Bruce said calmly. "But not anymore."

"Please, Bruce, just once?"

"No," Bruce said and turned to walk away.

"Wait, please!"

"Fuck off."

"You heard the man," Neville said and crouched near Mr. Burglow.

"What are you doing here, kid?" The older man asked Neville.

Neville shrugged and straightened up, brushing the dust off his jeans. "I'm a common passerby, minding my own business." Neville said and smiled innocently at Mr. Burglow.

Hubert hobbled from a corner; his face white. Neville nodded at him and ran towards Bruce. "They're actually evil villains." Hubert whispered. "Evil I tell you!"

"What do you mean?" Mr. Burglow asked; his forehead creasing.

"You won't understand," Hubert said absent-mindedly as he watched Neville give Bruce a large leather bag. The two walked away.

"So, can you help me find the rest of the items?" Neville asked cheerfully to Bruce who only grunted in return.

"I wonder what Delilah would like for dinner," Hubert said, his eyebrows twitching.

---

"Thanks for the gun, Bruce," Neville said cheerfully.

Bruce grunted and said in a tone that matched his face, "Don't forget what I taught you: the gun doesn't need bullets—"

"—it's powered by magic. Blah, blah, blah the power of the blast depends on the amount of magic, blah, blah, living fire metal, blah, blah." Neville said and rolled his eyes.

Bruce glared at Neville and sighed. "Damn brat."

Neville made a face and grinned. "Thanks for helping me find the rest of the items."

Bruce grunted.

Neville hugged Bruce, grabbed the packages, and disappeared.

Hubert appeared besides Bruce and smiled. "Even though he's evil, I do hope he comes back soon."

Bruce looked at Hubert with something akin to disgust. "Who told you he was evil?"

"Oh! I figured that on my own! It's like this…"

---

Neville dropped the packages on top of the table and looked triumphantly at his uncle.

His uncle peered at the packages and then at Neville. "What took you so long?"

Neville made a face and glared at his uncle before sitting down.

"Well?"

Neville sighed and began to tell his uncle of his adventures. By the time he was finished, his uncle was grinning at him madly.

"Well, my boy," Uncle Algie said slowly, "it seems that you got yourself into a fine adventure today." He paused and his grin widened. "Now show me that Firegun you keep mentioning about."

Neville looked at him suspiciously. "What for?"

"To admire it, of course," his uncle chided and looked at him hungrily.

"Say please first," Neville said and folded his arms casually. He smiled at Mr. Fortescue and ordered a chocolate sundae before turning his attention back at his uncle.

"Fine then," the elderly man said and crossed his arms, "please."

Neville laughed at his uncle's disgruntled look and handed over the Firegun. He sat back and explained how the Firegun worked while waiting for his ice cream.

The Firegun is different from muggle guns because unlike muggle guns, this gun generates its own ammo in the form of fire. To use a Firegun, one must simply pour magic through the trigger. The living metal will then convert it to fire. The amount of firepower depends on the amount of magic converted.

Neville had just finished his explanations when his uncle suddenly grinned and said, "This gun's mine!"

"No you don't! I got that fair and square, uncle!" Neville shouted and tried to wrestle the gun from his uncle. Uncle Algie pushed him and jumped back. Neville grab hold of a chair to steady himself and moved into a fighter's stance.

"You made the mistake of giving it to me, boy," his uncle said, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Give that back!" Neville growled and dodged the knife his uncle threw at him. A scream was heard from the growing crowd. Neville turned around and saw a girl staring at the knife embedded on the cobblestones near her. _I have to catch his knives next time or else someone will get hurt._ Neville thought grimly.

"You shouldn't get distracted, boy!" Uncle Algie shouted and threw another knife at Neville.

Neville caught it and was about to throw it back when an Auror apparated in front of them and grabbed both their wrists.

"He started it!" Neville said and used his free hand to point at his uncle. Uncle Algie grinned and raised his hands in the air.

"Just playing with my boy, sir," Uncle Algie said casually and moved to stand next to Neville.

Neville frowned and crossed his arms. His uncle placed an arm around Neville. He had half a mind to pull away from the arm but decided not to. Instead he shrugged and beamed at the Auror. "He's right, officer," Neville said innocently. "I just wanted to play with my _favorite_ uncle." His uncle slapped him in the back and grinned at the Auror.

"We'd best be going now, officer. Don't wanna costcha any more trouble." Uncle Algie said and grinned, pushing Neville forward.

Neville grabbed the bags and glared at his uncle. His uncle glared back and jerked his head to the direction of their left.

Once they had gotten far from the auror, Neville looked up at his uncle and asked, "So, did I pass the test?"

"You failed miserably," Uncle Algie said and grinned.

"What!" Neville asked and stared at his uncle with his mouth open. "But I did everything right! I found _all_ the items!"

"So?" His uncle asked and smirked. "That wasn't exactly the real objective of the test."

"What is it then, O Great and Knowledgeable Uncle?" Neville asked sarcastically.

"Realizing that the task I gave you was just a load of… well shit." His uncle explained. "The objective was for you to realize when to give up. Not to get all of the items on the list. I just made up all of those items. I never even knew that there was such a thing as a continuum transfunctioner or a loaf of goblin bread. Although I must say, good work, my boy. If the objective was just that then you would have passed with flying colors."

Neville glared at his uncle and mumbled something incomprehensible. He looked up suddenly. "So all of those things are made up?"

His uncle nodded and grinned. "Yup."

Neville looked confused. "Can you tell me what Spasmi Dolorosi Del Rene Champagne mean? Coz when I asked the lady at the counter she just gave me a dirty look until Bruce threatened her with one of his knives."

"Oh, that." His uncle frowned for a moment and scratched his chin. "If I remember correctly, it means Painful Kidney Spasm Champagne. Where did you buy it?"

"At Tarotina's Tempting Treasures," Neville replied and made a face. "So that's why the lady was giving me a funny look."

"Maybe I'll visit that place sometime…" Uncle Algie murmured under his breath.

---

A/N: Sorry for the long wait but... with all the things that have recently been going on (local plays and article deadlines) it's kinda hard to fit fanfic into my schedule.

Also, a couple of reviews might speed up my writing(from a snail's pace to a turtle's; except that I really don't know which is faster). I know I'm desperate, but it's from the lack of socialization I get from school. Oh poor me. Now I shall go away and don my angst mask to make people pity me for my poor socialization skills.

Before I go, can anyone guess who Delilah is? There's a sneak peek preview for anyone who can guess it correctly. And um... non-existant cookies. The answer won't be seen in the story until maybe later though. But it's not really important, just a bit of humor for my part.


	5. Angered Silver Eyes

Chapter 4 – Angered Silver Eyes

Severus looked around, taking in the beauty of Malfoy Manor for a moment before stepping inside the vast marble hall. There, the different guests lingered, some talking while others shared a bottle of champagne with themselves.

He let the house-elf take his coat and smiled tightly at one of the guests who had recognized him. He was about to walk over when he felt a powerful hand grip his shoulder. He turned around and smiled, carefully removing the hand from his shoulder. "Good afternoon, Narcissa."

"Good afternoon, Severus," Narcissa answered back and smiled serenely. "It's nice of you to come."

Severus looked around and nodded. "You have a good crowd tonight." He noted.

"Well, it _is _Draco's birthday after all." Narcissa said and smirked. "The people want to see for themselves how much my handsome little prince has grown."

Severus chuckled. "Well, where is the brat?"

"Here, Severus," Draco said as he appeared by his mother's side.

"Hello, brat," Severus replied calmly.

"Hello to you too, godfather," Draco said coolly.

"How nice it is to see you, brat. Looking forward to next year?" Severus said and smirked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Draco said. "Will you be teaching Potions next year?"

"As always," Severus replied. "Shouldn't you be meeting the other guests now, Draco? After all, it is your birthday."

Draco narrowed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "I believe I will, Sev."

Severus watched the boy saunter towards the other guests and looked at Narcissa. "He has changed a lot since last I saw him."

"Well, you can't expect him to stay as a kid forever." Narcissa said somberly.

Severus sighed and looked at Narcissa wryly. "Time passes too quickly for us, mortals."

Narcissa placed her hands around Severus's arm. She smiled sadly. "I know."

---

Draco conversed with his guests in a polite manner; his stance was casual but alert, and his actions were courteous and well-mannered. He kept an eye on the families he deemed dangerous and was polite to those who were powerful. He made sure to talk to those kids who were near his age and befriended many of them.

By the time the house-elves had arrived with food, Draco had already talked to all of the guests. He lingered near the food table indifferently although no one could tell from his face. He still held the air of polite interest as he half-listened to a mother talking about her three _adorable_ children who were all older than him.

A small smile slowly crept on his face as a brilliant idea suddenly popped in his head. He excused himself from the flustered lady and walked towards the stairs. Once there, he ran up two flights of stairs, across the hallway and opened the door to his small study. He looked around for a moment and then slipped inside the room. There, he took a small bundle wrapped in black silk. He opened another drawer and took some gloves as well as a wooden box with a mirror inside it.

Slipping the gloves on his fingers, he straightened and looked around, checking to see if there was still something he might need. Seeing that there was none, he walked outside his study and closed the door, locking it with his key and letting the spells on the door do the rest. He turned right and up another flight of stairs.

Once there, he silently crept towards his mother's study. He knew the place was off limits but his curiosity got the better of him. He placed the mirror angled near him to warn him if there was someone approaching and grabbed the bundle from his pocket. Inside the bundle was a set of lock picks. He peered at the door casually and took out the wand he nicked earlier from one of the elders and did a spell to see which spells were used to lock the door.

"One, two, three, four, five," he counted quietly, "four locking spells and an alarm one, this should be easy enough." He closed his eyes for a moment racking through his brains for different counterspells that he might be able to use, twirling the wand expertly.

His eyes snapped open and he grinned. He pointed the wand he'd stolen earlier, reminding himself to put it back where it belonged after, at the door and in quick succession removed all the spells that no ordinary kid would even know about let alone have access to the information. Next, he grabbed three of his lock picks and deftly used them to open the lock. With a satisfied click, he gathered up his things, looked around, and crept inside.

He had remembered the room, having been there before when he was still much younger. He pocketed the lock picks and looked at his watch. There was still time left. He walked around the room, careful not to touch anything that might have alarm spells cast on them.

He only wanted to see the study again and maybe steal a couple of books when something caught his eye. He stopped and turned towards the desk.

Kneeling down, he took a small red-stripped shoe box hidden underneath the desk. He gulped and opened it. Inside were bundles of letters wrapped in twine. He grabbed one and removed the twine. He turned it around to see who it was from and dropped the letter like it was on fire.

Written in a large elegant handwriting, the letter was addressed to him. From his dad. Five years ago. But how can that be possible? His father, Lucius Malfoy, had died when he was four years old. Or so he was told.

With hands that shook, he carefully lifted the letter off the floor. It felt like any moment now he was going to wake up and everything that just happened was a dream. But then again it was all too real.

He grabbed a small knife from his pocket and used it to open the letter.

_Dear Draco,_

_How are you my boy? Enjoying that present I gave you? I'm sorry I couldn't write any sooner, but business was holding up in the north. Enough about me, what have you been doing my lad?_

Draco stopped reading and closed his eyes. He didn't want to read on because for him it still felt like his father was dead. There was not much evidence anyway, he reflected as he opened his eyes to stare at the paper blankly. Taking a deep breath, he scanned the letter until something caught his eye.

_I'm sorry for going away son. I know you're angry at me and I'm sure that you're looking for an explanation but I cannot tell you why I went away. You know as well as I that someone might intercept this owl and read these contents. I cannot tell you more except that I'm doing fine where I am right now._

_As for the explanation, wait for me, my son. Soon, when the time comes and we meet again, I will tell you exactly why I disappeared. For now, please be contented with the letters that I will be constantly sending to you._

_Your loving father,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Confusion mingled with other emotions ran through Draco's face as he looked up. He didn't understand. He didn't understand if this was all real or just a big joke. Or a _dream_.

Draco resisted the temptation to pinch his arm as he carefully placed the letter with the others. Taking a deep breath, he looked up. _It was time to find some answers._

* * *

A/N: The offer still stands for those who can guess who Delilah is. Here's a clue: she's not human.

Liked anything? Hated everything? Please do tell me what you think._  
_


	6. Tell Me

Chapter 5 – Tell me

Draco stood up from his seating position and looked at his watch. Seeing that it was nearly ten, he sighed grimly and bit his lip. _By now, the guests are probably saying their farewells. I can go to my study and leave the box there. _For a moment he looked at the shoe box that held his father's letters and grimaced. _Then go back to the main hall and pretend that nothing happened. When all the guests are gone, that's the time I confront Mother._

With that in mind he closed the box, carried it with one arm, and left the room quietly.

---

Severus looked around the room and sighed. Where is that boy? Many of the guests were already saying their goodbyes and yet that boy hasn't appeared yet. He glanced at Narcissa who seemed to be thinking of the same thing.

A small blob of blonde appeared in the crowd which made Severus release the air that he had unknowingly been holding. He strode towards his godson and gave a pointed glare at the boy. The brat merely smiled back innocently before talking to the guests and thanking them for their time.

Soon, the hall was empty apart from a couple of house elves who were cleaning.

"Draco, dear, we need to talk," Narcissa said while Severus nodded.

Draco looked up at both of them, his face void of any emotion except perhaps confusion. The boy was learning fast, Severus knew, to already be able to act so innocent and childlike while his true feelings were hidden deep.

"Why?"

Severus glared at the boy who winced and sighed, letting his mask fall.

"Perhaps we should discuss this in my study," Draco suggested and looked away from Severus's eyes. He knew that the man practiced Legilimency and didn't want the man to read his thoughts. "There is also something I wish to discuss." With those last words Draco turned and glared coolly at Snape.

Snape couldn't read the brat's thoughts. The boy was using his anger to block Snape's attempts. _Very clever for a boy his age: He's already developing the first stages of Occlumency. _Snape thought and looked at Narcissa who nodded. He knew he could force Draco's walls to collapse but decided against it. _If the brat has something to hide then let him hide it. _

---

Draco looked at the door and took a deep breath. He knew that his mother and his godfather, Severus, were waiting for him to open the door. He fished the key out of his pocket and opened the door.

Inside, the place still looked like before: homely but with a business-like edge that most would not see in an ordinary boy's study.

Draco walked towards a large table with stacks of paper neatly piled in one corner. On top of it lay the shoe box. Narcissa, upon seeing the box, gasped softly and watched her son sit on a comfy leather chair beyond the desk.

"Am I right to assume that you already know why we are here?" Draco asked and, from the look in his face, he was struggling to keep himself calm.

Narcissa nodded wordlessly and dropped on one of the chairs near the fireplace that warmed the room, her face pale. Severus followed her example and sat as well, his face, on the other hand, void of any emotion as he tried to contemplate on what the boy had said.

"Severus, if you will open the box and look at its contents," Draco suggested and leaned back as he watched his godfather rise and move in front of him.

"What are you playing at, brat?" Severus hissed at Draco as he took the cover off the box. Draco smiled sadly and gestured at the box. Severus looked down and picked up one of the letters. He opened it warily and caught his breath. He looked up and met unhappy silver eyes. With shaking hands that clutched the letter tightly, he read on.

"Narcissa?" Severus asked and turned around. "How can this be? Why did you not tell me?"

"But you knew, didn't you," Narcissa said softly. "You knew that he was still alive."

"Yes, I did. But I did not know that he was communicating with his son." Severus argued angrily.

"I never got to read them," Draco said softly. Two pairs of eyes turned to look at them. "Please," Draco begged quietly, "explain. Tell me what this all means."

"I think you should start, Narcissa," Severus said and retreated back to his chair.

Naricssa sighed and folded her arms. "As you both know, my husband, Lucius Malfoy, was—no—is a death eater. I did not approve of the many things that he did and was relieved when the Dark Lord disappeared ten years ago. But no, he still believed in his lord's twisted morals and also believed that, someday, the Dark Lord would rise again and take his mantle as their Lord.

"Because of his belief, he went around the world to," Narcissa paused and hesitated, her eyes flickering at Draco's calm form and at Severus's. She took a deep breath and continued. "He went around the world to persuade others to join his cause. One time, while he was away, I strengthened the wards inside the manor so that he could not come back. When he found out about this, he grew angry at me and threatened to take away Draco."

Narcissa bit her lip and closed her eyes. She struggled to stop the tears from falling. She turned to Severus. "If you will?" She asked quietly.

Severus nodded and stood up. "Narcissa asked for my help. She truly did not want to let that _man _into the house. Lucius, upon seeing that he could not do anything, finally retreated and has been gone for five years now." He looked at Narcissa who was breathing hard and looked down. "What I do not understand is why Narcissa did not tell me that her husband was sending letters to her son. Surely she knows that those letters might be charmed to harm Draco."

Narcissa looked at Severus. "I knew, Sev, but I did not want you to be involved in what I believe a small family matter—"

"Small?" Severus asked. "That man was threatening you!"

"I know." Narcissa murmured and sighed deeply. "But—"

"But you think it would only shame your family because you were asking help from a friend?"

"Merlin, yes," Narcissa said and looked at Severus, "and I know I am being prideful, but you have already helped me enough, Severus. I already owe you a large debt; I do not wish to make it any larger."

"But I am also your friend, Narcissa. Could you not put your pride aside and let me help?" Severus asked and met Narcissa's eyes with his own.

Narcissa opened her mouth but she could not answer. She sat on her chair, her tear-stained face pale. "I did not know what possessed me to act in that manner. Severus, please forgive me." She whispered in a monotonous voice.

"I should be the one asking for forgiveness, Narcissa, because I should have found out about this sooner." Severus replied.

All was silent for a while when they heard a loud thump. Both turned to look and saw Draco crying quietly, the box that held the letters was lying on the floor. Draco looked at them, "Please leave."

Severus nodded and stood up, his eyes flickering at Narcissa's crying form. He took Narcissa's hands and tugged. Narcissa looked up and nodded. She stood up and together they were about to walk out when—

"Wait!" Draco shouted. Severus turned his head and looked at Draco inquiringly. "Tell me. Tell me the truth. Is Dad evil?"

---

To Seku238's question: Yes, they will.

Liked anything? Hated everything? Amused in anyway? Please do tell.


	7. Dear Diary

Chapter Six – Dear Diary

_Entry no. 1_

How does one write in a journal? Does it always start with the words "Dear Diary" or is that bit only mandatory? I don't really know. But "Dear Diary" sounds a bit too…feminine for my taste. And anyway, this is a journal, not a diary. And I really don't want to write "Dear Journal" because that would also sound highly unlike me.

Faris gave me this journal today. He said he was suppose to give this to me on my birthday next week (I'm turning nine!) but he's going to get adopted today. Bugger.

I already miss that red-headed jerk. Why did he have to go anyway? Now I don't have anyone to play with.

---

Harry read what he had written and laughed bitterly. _Oh, Faris. Why did you have to leave? You're my friend. And friends are supposed to look out for each other. How are we going to do that if you're not here?_

----

_Entry no. 5_

Today's my birthday! Yey! Except that now, there's no one there for me to celebrate with. No one there for me to have fun with. No one.

Oh, I know the nuns are nice and all, and even the bullies ignored me today, but I still miss Faris. Bugger. I wish he was back.

Severus visited today. He still wouldn't tell me anything except perhaps that there is indeed a wizarding world out there. Also he gave me a book. It's called "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" written by Newt Salamander. Oh, wait, actually, its Scamander… Newt Scamander. Honestly, whoever gave the man his name must be psychic or something. I mean, he writes a book after magical beasts and is named after one himself. Unless it's part of some pureblooded tradition that everyone has to act what his or her name entitles. Does that mean I have to be a potter?

---

Harry paused, his hand nimbly twirling the pencil that he had been using to write. An image of himself dirtied with clay and mud flashed through his mind. He shuddered. _I hope not._

---

Sev told me a bit more about the magical world. He said that he couldn't teach me how to use my magic yet because apparently, underage magic is against the law. He did promise to give me a book or, perhaps several, on wizarding rules and traditions and whatnot.

I showed him my journal. He was amused a bit but said that I should stop chewing the pencil I was using to write here. Told me it wasn't good for my dental health. So he said that the next time he visits, he's going to bring me pen or something. And he made me promise to stop chewing.

---

Harry stopped writing and was about to close his journal when he frowned. He opened the journal again and started writing.

---

You know… now that I'm thinkin' about Sev, a memory surfaced into my mind. It was back then, when we first met. And Faris was still there.

I remembered it clearly, and now that I'm thinking about it… there's something else that happened that day. I don't know if I should tell Sev about it… but the thing is… I think I can hear snakes. I mean, obviously anyone can here a snake hiss, but me, I could hear it speak. I think it said something like: "Two little two-leggers! What a delicious meal you would make." Should I tell Sev or not?

Oh, and I named the wolf pup Hakan. I'm going to research about wolves later and maybe keep track of his growth and stuff. I like him. He's nice.

----

_Entry no. 43_

I hate Charles. He's one of the bigger kids in the orphanage. And the type to go around bullying other people. I know it's probably because he's insecure or had a bad childhood experience or something, but seriously, most of the kids here have the words "bad childhood; been abused, done the angst" written on their foreheads, so what gives him the right to be superior from the rest of us? His age and size, apparently.

I know I did something incredibly wrong and stupid today, but it was better than letting him have his way. I admit it; I set his clothes on fire with my elemental magic. But it was an accident! Honestly!

I can already hear Sev's voice berating me for acting so stupid and losing my control. But I can't help it! He was stealing one of my books! The one Sev gave me for my birthday. Can I help burning my fellow orphan's clothes and possibly bringing about the discovery of the magical world? Of course not, I'm just a kid.

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." It's a really cool book. I was a bit surprised that such animals existed in this planet but then again, I was also surprised when Sev told me that there's a whole wizarding world out there, so, no biggie. I tried to pry him for more information, but he says I'm not of age yet. Hello! I'm already nine. It's not like I'm stupid or something.

---

Harry was about to stop writing but he knew there was still something he had left out. With determined eyes, he continued.

---

In "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" I found a part about the snake from before; the one that tried to eat little Hakan. It's an Ashwinder. I know it is because when I read the description, it matched the snake from my memories.

I'm having nightmares about that snake. Usually, it would try to eat me in my dreams but sometimes…sometimes its worse. I don't want to talk about it. Even just thinking about it makes me queasy.

----

_Entry no. 86_

Hakan and I played today. He's grown a lot bigger since the Ashwinder accident. I wanted to measure him, but I couldn't think of an excuse so I'll probably have to steal that measuring tape from Sister Mary Ann. I _am _going to bring it back of course. I just want to keep track of Hakan's development.

I like it here in the forest. It's not as quiet as the library because of the birds and stuff but its peaceful here. Also, at least I get to spend time with Hakan who's lonely out here. I tried to find his family once, but I couldn't find anything. I even tried to research in the library for telltale signs of a wolf's territory but I couldn't find any in the forest.

I wonder where his family is.

----

_Entry no. 164_

I got a new journal today, plus two new books from Sev. One of them is called "Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy" written by Armando Silverblood. I don't think I want to read it yet because it's about the different pureblooded families, but pretty soon I will have to. I don't know why but Sev says it's vital that I learn about it so that I can win over many important wizarding families in the future.

"Old and New Wizarding Traditions: Which is Better?" is also written by Armando Silverblood. I think this might be a bit more interesting than the other one so I'm going to read this one first.

Sev didn't come here today, but a spotted white owl did, carrying the books and journal that I mentioned. There was also a small note attached to its leg from Sev who told me to read them both and asked how I was. So that's how the wizarding world communicates! I thought they communicate through complicated smoke signals or something…

Fifteen days before my birthday!

----

_Entry no. 171 _

Finally! Today's my birthday and Sev gave me a gift. I was a tad surprised because I thought that those books he sent me earlier were his gifts. The gift itself was wonderful. A…a photo album of my parents.

---

Harry stopped and bit his lip. His eyes flickered towards the leather-bound album. He had cried earlier, when no one was around and Severus had already gone, but it still felt like it wasn't enough. "Crying isn't going to bring them back,"Harry scoffed to himself silently. He grabbed the pen that he had unconsciously dropped and looked at his journal hesitantly. With shaking fingers he continued.

---

Sev seemed a bit grumpier than usual so, naturally, I asked him if there was anything wrong. He said that it was nothing, but I don't quite believe him.

He said that since I was older he could tell me a bit more about the wizarding world. Mostly, it was about the school—Howarts was it?—that I'm going to attend next year and subjects they're going to teach us. He even promised to give me a book about it.

I proposed—

---

Harry stopped again, and frowned at the word. It didn't feel right. He grabbed the dictionary underneath his small bed and looked through the large book. Seconds later, he looked up and nodded.

---

I informed Sev that I have been, for the past summer, working on different odd jobs to have enough money to pay for the school fees and for anything else I might need. I even proposed to work for him at school if the money I had collected proved insufficient.

He laughed at me and told me that I needn't worry about funds and such because _apparently _my parents left me a vault somewhere as my trust fund. Now why couldn't he have told me that earlier? I worked pretty hard for that money.

---

Harry stopped and yawned. He looked at the journal and sighed, closing it with a reluctant hand. _I have to sleep. _ He took a glance at the album on top of a small pile of books near his bed and looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and took a bit breath. He knew he was still a bit sad at the fact that he would never be able to see his parents. _Or be able to care for them, worry about them or love them with all of my heart, _he thought sadly before smiling a bit. _At least I have Sev. _

----

_Entry no. 195_

I'm _terribly_ bored. _Today _was terribly boring. Terribly, terribly so!

---

Harry chuckled a bit and shook his head. _Its official, I'm off my rocker! I wonder if it runs in the family._

_­_---

I was finally able to finish "Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy", but I could hardly call that eventful. The book itself is a little bit biased against muggle-borns (it's a term for wizards and witches born to non-magical parents) but the book is also very informative.

---

Harry paused and tapped his pen nonchalantly, his gaze drifting over the bodies of his fellow orphans. One of them groaned and stirred. Harry stopped and made a face. He looked at his bandaged hand and grinned. Now there was something to write!

---

Today, I broke a vase. (Unintentionally, of course.) I was in the library, reading up on one of my favorites. It's a book written by Galahad Greystone. I remembered showing it to Snape once, but that's a different story.

Anyways, I got bored and tried what Sev called "wandless magic" on a vase. It was easy enough to levitate it, and soon it was zooming around the room. One of the nuns, Lucy I believe, had the impeccable timing of a donut (I think I heard this line being used in the telly once) and happened to pass by the library.

The library may be often empty but the windows are still wide enough for anyone to see what is inside. Since I forgot to go to hide behind a shelf which would effectively block anything I do from these windows, she saw me. Hastily, I stopped the spell but I was not able to catch the vase which smashed into shards, thus the injured hand. Good thing Sister Lucy is a bit superstitious (she thinks it was a ghost) or else I might be in a lot of trouble now.

Hakan's grown a lot, these past few months. If I read right, soon he'll be mature enough on his own. I know I only write about him sometimes but only because I've been really busy. Hey, it's hard enough as it is just trying to hide him from the other orphans.

----

_Entry no.359_

Sev visited again! I was a tad shocked of course. I thought he was going to visit me on my birthday (which would be a couple of weeks from now!) like always. I guess the idea of my going to Hogwarts (I think I remember misspelling it once) slipped off my mind. He brought the letter to me and told me that he was going to bring me to Diagonally (?) next week.

I can't believe he didn't tell me earlier! Why did he only tell me now the real reason my parents had died?

---

Harry stopped writing and hesitated. His eyes were filled with uncertainty, anger and sadness; his other feelings hidden underneath a mask of apathy. Taking a deep breath, he wrote on.

---

It turns out that there was this insane dark wizard rampaging around Britain, killing muggles and muggle-borns (even though Sev uses the term mudblood, I still feel a bit uneasy using that word). Because my parents seem to have been quite a nuisance to him, he went to our house and killed them. When he tried to…kill me, the spell he used rebounded back to him and destroyed his body. Sev told me that I was savior to the wizarding world and was in fact called the Boy-Who-Lived.

What a stupid name.

---

Harry crinkled his nose in disgust. He knew that revulsion wasn't really the dominant emotion he was feeling at the moment, but right now, lying to himself seemed good. Forcing a cheerful smile to replace his frown, he continued to write. Well, he tried anyway. But after his talk with Severus, he still felt a bit too emotional for words. The only reason he wrote on his journal was because he was afraid someone might take away his knowledge about it; his memories about it. He'd read about Memory Charms and he certainly did not want to be on the receiving end of one.

He wanted to write about Hakan, who slept in a small cave he had found in the woods once. He was sure the wolf was alright on his own, but he was still a bit worried. He suddenly moved to a sitting position and grabbed his journal.

---

REMINDER: Ask Sev if I can bring Hakan to school. The letter didn't say if I could bring a wolf as a pet.

---

Satisfied with those words, the boy went to sleep, dreaming of green lights, grey wolves and a certain potion master.

* * *

A/n: I'm abandoning this story. I just can't seem to write this anymore. Sorry again. 


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